KDE sysconfdir

[LFS-User@…]

The KDE instructions need to be modified (kdelibs and kdebase, for sure and there could be others) so that the configuration directory (sysconfdir) is pointed to /etc/kde. Currently sysconfir is not specified so if a user points their KDE installation to /usr, then files are created in /usr/etc.

[bdubbs@…]

This issue only comes up if kde is installed in /usr.

My logs indicate that this can come up in kdelibs, kdebase, and kdemultimedia.

A simple note in the above pages to indicate that ----sysconfdir=/etc is necessary if installing with KDE_PREFIX=/usr should handle the issue.

[LFS-User@…]

Well, I disagree about it being just a /usr deal. There are config file and xdg files located here. The FHS says that configuration files for packages located in /opt should be in /etc/opt/package, however, we don't follow the /etc/opt/package thing for GNOME.

I don't understand how /usr/etc is not okay, but /opt/kde/etc is okay.

Neither conform to the FHS, or standard good practice.

[bdubbs@…]

The reason to put configuration files in /opt/kde/etc is to support installation of multiple versions. There are two ways to think about this. A user may want to keep a single set of configuration files for all versions or separate the config files for each version. If a new version is not backward compatible for these files, having all versions use the same directory would be a problem.

The fisrt note will be in kdelibs. That note could be expanded to offer more guidance.

As an aside, I have a total of seven config files in the kde/etc/ hierarchy and I've never felt the need to change any of them.

[LFS-User@…]

That's cool. I respect your thoughts. I just think it is odd that you don't want to place an /etc directory in a subdir of /etc. Look at the file ksysguarddrc, this file has a comment at the top stating it is in /etc. Of course, it is really meaningless what some dev put as a comment at the top of a file, it does indicate he expects it to be in /etc.

I, like you, have never had a need to modify the files here, but again, what is the harm in relocating the directory as a sub of /etc?

Just so to complete this thought, as there may be others than me that wonder the same thing, what would be the *harm* in moving /opt/kde/etc to /etc/kde?

[bdubbs@…]

Added notes about using --sysconfdir to kdelibs, kdebase, and kdemultimedia

[Randy McMurchy]

Reopening this bug to ensure that the editor wants to violate KDE recommendations and the FHS by continuing to default to the sysconfdir variable as $KDE-PREFIX/etc.

As stated previously in this bug, KDE recommendes using /etc/something for the sysconfdir. The FHS is in agreement here. There really is no reason to keep the default other than one editor's preference.

[tushar@…]

I agree with Randy, configuration files should be in /etc since they are not version dependent. Configuration files are meant to be left on the system even after the package is removed.

[bdubbs@…]

Changed instructions to add --sysconfdir=/etc/kde to kde{libs,base,multimedia}